


Take A Bow

by canthelpmyselves



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Celebrations, Costumes, M/M, Mystery, Pre-Relationship, Sara is awesome!, Spying, dressing up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-27 22:03:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16228205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canthelpmyselves/pseuds/canthelpmyselves
Summary: Team Flash, Team Legends and Team Arrow agree to dress up for a charity fundraiser. Team Flash are going as various X-Men, Team Arrow has chosen characters from Guardians of the Galaxy and Team Legends are suiting up as Avengers. The only hitch in the plan is Barry Allen. He's keeping his costume a secret.





	Take A Bow

One thing Leonard Snart loved, besides his sister and an elaborate heist, was a mystery. The opportunity to put together the clues and reach the correct answer before everyone else would put a sparkle in his icy eyes faster than almost anything else. He also had a driving need to know everything about everyone in his life. He hated surprises (unless he planned them). He hated secrets (unless they were his). Mick had given up, a long time ago, trying to make sense of Len’s weird bouts of obsession. That’s why, when Len suddenly began dragging him around town to stalk Barry Allen, he didn’t ask questions. He just drove where Len told him to, and read a book between trips.

“A photography studio?” Len mumbled, interrupting his reading. “Why is Scarlet meeting someone at a photography studio?”

Mick glanced up and looked across the street. Sure enough, the kid was standing near the door, speaking to an elderly man. They were looking at something in the kid’s hand and there was a lot of nodding and hand waving going on. 

“You’re bordering on obsessed,” Mick grumbled.

“He’s breaking pattern,” Len said with a frown, lifting his binoculars to his eyes again. “I want to know why.”

Mick rolled his eyes and went back to his book. Sometimes he thought going straight was too much strain on Len's patience. In truth, Len was just pouting because he had no idea what Barry was going to wear for the upcoming costume party. The Arrow, Flash and Legends teams were participating in a city-wide costume party next month for a children's charity and they had all agreed to make things fun by dressing as fictional heroes. 

Mick was going as the Hulk. Sara would be Black Widow. Ava was going as Pepper Potts. Gary would be Coulson. Haircut would be Ironman. Pretty would be Captain America. Amaya would be Wasp. Zari would be Scarlet Witch. Len would be Winter Soldier (of frickin’ course!). 

Team Arrow had chosen characters from Guardians of the Galaxy. Queen decided on Star-Lord, so he could still wear a mask. Smoak picked Gamora. The bodyguard was going to be Drax. The others (and he hadn’t really been paying attention to their names) were Ravagers.

Team Flash had chosen characters from the X-Men. He was looking forward to seeing the frosty doctor as the White Queen. Ms. West chose Rogue and Gambit for herself and her fiance. Detective West ended up with Colossus and his girlfriend was going as Storm. Kid Flash chose Iceman, trusting makeup to hide his face. Wells would be Magneto. The stretchy guy was going to make a terrible Angel. Ramon was Cyclops (probably because Lisa had heard about the party and was going as Phoenix). Everyone had eagerly chosen a famous mutant to dress as. 

All except Red. 

In fact, when asked who he was going to dress as, the kid had smirked and said he already had his costume half finished. Ramon had been insulted. He went on a five minute rant about how important accuracy was and that he was the premiere costume designer of the team so he should have been consulted. The kid had shrugged and said he had it under control.

Since then several people from the three teams had tried to get Barry to tell them what his costume was. It became some sort of contest, trying to get the kid to talk. Haircut had literally begged while he and the kid were working on Gideon in the Time Vault, syncing her up to the Waverider. Ms. West had threatened to tell various embarrassing stories, but the kid kept his mouth shut, even when she followed through and told about the time he had set his clothes on fire during an experiment and had to run back to the dorms naked. Ramon tried the silent treatment, and when that didn’t work, promised to make the kid’s energy bars taste better. Apparently they were the worst things anyone had ever tasted. Mick wouldn’t know. He wasn’t eating anything that made Pretty throw up.

The Flash stayed strong and kept his mouth shut. All he would say was that he was dressing as his own favorite hero and that they would all see his costume at the party. Mick had to respect the kid’s willpower. Personally, he would have probably given in just to shut everyone up. 

“He’s leaving,” Len said in a hushed whisper, sliding down in the seat a little. 

Mick doubted the kid had noticed them in this beat up old van, so he just rolled his eyes and started the engine. The kid slipped into the alley beside the shop and a second later a trail of lightning zipped down the street. Len focused on his phone, watching the tracker he had secreted on the kid move across the map. 

“He’s home,” Len huffed. “Let’s get back to the safe house. I need to add this to the board and see if it ties in with anything.

Mick pulled onto the street and drove south to the warehouse where Len had set up a couple of bulletin boards. He had filled them with notes, photos and city maps. His little obsession filled two whole boards and was starting to overtake a third. It would be amusing if it wasn’t so sad. Mick just wished Len would admit he was in love with the kid and be done with it.

***

Normally Lisa stayed out of her brother’s love life. She didn’t mind he was pansexual. She didn’t mind he was a closet romantic at heart. She didn’t even mind how possessive and jealous he got over anyone he was attracted to. He’s her brother and she loves him even if he wakes up tomorrow and decides he’d rather be an Umpa Lumpa and marries a toaster. What she did mind, though, was that he seemed to have fallen in love with the worst possible match he could find.

It’s not like she hated Barry. Far from it. Barry is sweet, kindhearted, and adorably cute. He’s also a bleeding heart with more innocence than a newborn. Barry would never be able to accept the darker parts of her brother, which meant that Lenny would either have to hide them (which did not bode well for any relationship) or he would break Lenny’s heart, which would make her want to kill the speedster. 

Ever since the mayor of Central had approached the teams about the Children’s Hospital charity event, she had been noticing how Lenny’s eyes trailed the younger man. At first she thought it was just because Barry wouldn’t tell anyone what his costume was. Lenny loved uncovering secrets. However, with each passing day she began to notice how Lenny’s eyes would soften and his breathing speed up when he focused on the hero. There was no doubt in her mind, Lenny was falling hard and she needed to do something to protect him. She needed to know if there was even the faintest chance the Flash could love her brother the way he deserved.

Which is why she was currently in Barry’s apartment.

“Um, hi?” Barry said awkwardly, a towel around his waist as he stepped from the bathroom and watched Lisa put the couch cushions back down. 

Lisa slapped a friendly smile on her face and sauntered closer. “Barry! I was looking for you.”

“Under the cushions?” he questioned, brow furrowed in disbelief.

“Well, I was… fluffing them.” Lisa cringed internally. Fluffing them? What the hell?! She’s a master at honey-potting! She can come up with a better story than that! Damn the kid for being so sweet! It was throwing her off her game!

Barry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is this about my costume? Did Cisco send you?” he asked wearily.

Lisa immediately nodded. “Yes! Cisco!”

Barry shook his head and sped out of sight. “Tell Cisco I don’t keep my costume here and he can stop trying to get people to spy on me,” he said when he reappeared, fully dressed.

Relieved he didn’t know why she was really there, Lisa turned her attention to the current mystery. “Who are you going as?” she asked. “Come on. You can trust me! And think of how annoyed Cisco would be if I found out before him! Perfect revenge for him being sneaky.”

Barry rolled his eyes and headed into the kitchen. “I’ve got brownies and ice cream. Want to watch a movie?”

Lisa pouted slightly, but perked up at the idea of brownies a la mode. “What movie?”

Barry was pulling bowls down from a cabinet. “You pick. Chocolate sprinkles?”

Lisa grinned widely as she went back into the living room and started scanning the shelves. “Yes, please.”

Halfway through Hairspray, she decided that maybe Barry wasn’t such a bad choice for Lenny after all. He was sweet, funny and made awesome brownie sundaes. 

***

Barry Allen is her best friend. Practically her brother. She knew everything about him. Oh sure, he managed to keep a secret or two for short amounts of time, but she always knew when he was hiding something, and she always got him to spill with very little pressure. 

Until now. 

For 22 days Barry had managed to keep a secret. She’d tried almost everything. Bribes? Not working. Threats? Nada. Guilt? Nope. Iris was determined to get Barry to tell her what his costume is. 

Eddie told her to leave it alone. Dad told her she was getting obsessive. Even Caitlin and Amaya thought she was ‘going off the deep end’. They just didn’t understand. She’s an investigative journalist, for heaven’s sake! It’s her job to find things out! Besides, she knew Palmer, Felicity, Snart and Cisco were trying to figure out the mystery, as well. No way was she letting one of them know before her! It’s a matter of pride.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded as she snuck up behind Barry at the comic book store’s counter.

Barry gave a startled ‘eep!’ and spun around, almost knocking over a display of figurines. “Iris!” he gasped. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Picking up something for your costume?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Barry groaned and his head dropped back, exposing his neck. “For the love of...” Barry dragged a hand down his face and shot her a glare. “No. Now leave.”

Iris snorted and looked around him at the guy holding a flat square box. “What is it? A mask? A cape? Some fake weapon you had to order?”

The guy looked from Iris to Barry and back. “Um, no?” he said hesitantly.

Iris grinned and grabbed the box, quickly moving to the side so Barry couldn’t swipe it back. “Aha!” she shouted. “I knew it! Now, let’s see who you’re going as!” 

Barry huffed and crossed his arms as he watched her peel off the brown paper cover and rip the top off the box. For a couple of seconds she could only stare at the item. How was this part of a costume? Iris blinked several times before looking up at Barry. “Umm...”

Barry stepped forward and grabbed the box from Iris and carefully checked the contents for damage. “It’s Candy by Lee Morgan,” he grumbled. “Joe’s birthday is next month and he doesn’t have this LP.”

Iris blinked a couple more times. “You… bought a jazz record… at a comic store...”

Barry nodded to the guy who had come from behind the counter. “Earl is a vinyl collector. I’ve been trying to buy this from him for years. He finally agreed to sell.”

Earl gave her a glare before checking over the LP himself. “No damage,” he mumbled before giving Iris a second glare and returning to the counter.

Barry sighed and rotated his neck tiredly. “You seriously have to stop stalking, Iris. You could have destroyed Joe’s gift.”

Iris refused to feel guilty. There was no damage, so all’s well that ends well, right? “Not until you tell me who you are dressing as.”

Barry shot her an unimpressed look. “Bye, Iris. I have to get back to work.” 

Barry walked away without another word. Iris stomped her foot and headed to the food court. She needed a triple chocolate cookie.

***

_Barry, I’m begging. Please tell Iris. She won’t quit running theories by me. She’s never going to let me get any sleep unless you do,_ Eddie pleaded over the phone.

 

_Son, I love you, but you need to talk to Cisco. Cecile found one of his spy cameras in our house,_ Joe said at work.

 

_Barry, you should know that Felicity has hacked your comm links, phone, computer, laptop and tablet. She may have even gained control of your coffee pot, by now,_ Oliver’s voice mail said.

 

_Snart hasn’t let me have a drink in two days. He insists I stay sober so I can help him follow you around. I need my beer, Red,_ Mick said, cornering him at the lab.

***

Barry knocked on the side of the doorway to get the petite blonde’s attention. “Hey,” he greeted fondly. “Got a minute? I need your help with something."

Sara nodded and waved him into her quarters. “Sure. What’s up?”

Barry smiled slightly. “It’s about my costume. Or rather, it’s about the costume party.”

Sara raised her eyebrows. “Oh? How can I help?”

Barry’s smile grew wider. “How would you like to help me make it a truly unforgettable event?”

A smirk spread across Sara’s face. “Talk to me.”

***

“So, is everyone ready?” Sara asked with a grin. Iris, Felicity, Len and Cisco shot her fierce glares, but she just shrugged it off. 

Caitlin looked at the clock over the desk. “We really need to get going if we’re going to make it to the park on time.”

“Barry’s still not here,” Iris pointed out. 

Sara blinked at them innocently. “Oh, did I forget to mention that he’ll meet us there? Yeah, I helped him get ready and took him to pick up the last piece of his costume, then I dropped him off an hour ago.”

Several sets of eyes looked at her with betrayal. “You know who he's going as!” Cisco accused.

Sara smirked as she smoothed her hair behind her ears. “Let’s go, sheeple,” she teased, turning on her heel and walking quickly out of the lab.

***

The park was full of adults and children in costumes. Princesses, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles and at least thirty different Wonder Women roamed from one booth to the other. Sara maneuvered the jump ship in a tight circle in the sky, drawing the attention of everyone, before landing beside the lake. The crowds cheered as the ramp descended and the teams stepped into view. The heroes grinned and greeted all of the children who rushed forward to meet their favorite protectors. 

Iris sidled closer to Felicity and Cisco, just behind Sara, Len and Oliver. “I swear to god, if Barry flaked out on us, I’ll kill him,” she whispered fiercely. Just then, there was a blinding flash of light right in front of the teams and a loud, maniacal cackle echoed from the podium a few yards away. 

“Someone’s having a party and didn’t invite the Rogues? Not cool!”

There was a loud gasp from several of the people around the Waverider as blue and white fireworks went off and the Rogues took over the podium. 

Well, sort of. 

Mick leaned toward Ray. “Do I look… smaller to you?”

Felicity and Caitlin let out embarrassingly loud squeals of delight as they stared at the miniature Rogues. None of them looked older than seven. There was a Golden Glider in black leggings and a gold shirt and tutu. Weather Wizard was wearing jeans and a green and yellow striped shirt. His Weather Wand was as tall as him. Pied Piper wore a dark green cape, his thumb stuck securely in his mouth. Rainbow Raider had on tinted goggles that kept slipping down his nose. Peek-A-Boo was having a tug-a-war with Trickster Jr. over a stuffed monkey. Heat Wave promptly sat down and began stretching his suspenders out and letting them snap back. Top kept spinning in a circle, making herself dizzy. Mirror Master, obviously pint-sized Piper’s real-life twin, kept trying to swipe at his brother and knock his thumb out of his mouth. It soon dissolved into a slapping fight.

“Thank you lord, Merry Christmas, and happy birthday to me,” Len whispered heatedly as he stared at Barry. 

Barry, who was wearing a Parka. Over a snug dark blue V-neck sweater. And a pair of the tightest black skinny jeans known to man. Shouldering Len’s cold gun.

Len’s mouth ran dry and his stomach fluttered.

“What do you think, Rogues?” Barry called out loudly. “Shall we snow these so-called heroes who Central City really belongs to?”

The mini-rogues all cheered loudly before racing down the stage and running toward the heroes. It only took a second for the teams to get with the program and mock-battle their smaller opponents. The crowd cheered even louder as they pulled out phones and cameras to record the action. 

Mick was quickly overwhelmed by Tiny Top and Mini-Wizard. Sara, Eddie and Joe succumbed to the powers of Little Bivolo, dropping to the floor and pretending to be in pain. Iris and Felicity were soon sitting on the ground, braiding the hair of Glider-ette. With Mick down for the count, his assailants attacked Oliver and Amaya. Mirror Master Jr. hesitantly tugged on Ray’s sleeve and asked if he had any candy. One by one the heroes were taken down by the children until the only one left standing was Len in his Bucky Barnes costume, still staring at his ‘double’ in awe. 

Now all eyes turned to ‘Captain Cold’ as he sauntered down from the podium and strutted forward, goggles hiding his eyes, but his lips pulled back in a mischievous grin. He came to a stop just two feet away from Len. Their friends and family, as well as everyone within earshot, were watching carefully. Barry swept the parka aside, revealing Len’s actual holster. He slid the cold gun into it and gave Len a very familiar smirk. The thief let out an audible whimper before licking his lips and eying Barry up and down.

Barry cleared his throat and began speaking loud enough for the crowd to hear. “When we first met, you were a thief with a flair for the dramatic, but not a good guy. Not then, anyway. Over the last three years I’ve watched you become more than that. You risked your life for your family. You put the Legends above your own wants and desires. You were willing to die to save your friends, with no guarantee you could be rescued. You turned the Rogues into saviors, showing them a better way. You’ve fought for these people and this city more times than I can number. You’re not just my hero, Leonard Snart. You’re a hero to everyone here.”

Barry looked at the tiny Rogues and they quickly hopped to their feet and lined up on either side of him. “Today is not the celebration you were told it was. While we are raising money for the hospital, it’s actually a celebration in honor of a true Central City hero. Leonard Snart, thank you for all you have done for Central City.”

There was another loud bang and flash of light. The scaffolding above the podium shook as a banner dropped down. In bold blue letters it read ‘Happy Rogue’s Day!’. 

Barry pulled a box from the pocket of his parka, bent and handed it to Glider-ette who shyly moved forward and held it out to Len. He hesitantly took the box and lifted the lid. Everyone could see the way his eyes widened and hear his soft gasp. Iris, Sara and Lisa edged closer to see inside. The golden key shone brightly on it’s velvet pillow.

Len swallowed, trying to contain his emotions, and looked up. He struggled to think of something to say. His mind was shockingly blank. 

“Today, in Central,” the mayor began, from the podium, “we honor the people who were once a thorn in this city’s side, but chose to become more. To become better. To become heroes. Heroes who remind us all that no one was irredeemable. That no one was incapable of change. Heat Wave. Golden Glider. Weather Wizard. Pied Piper. Rainbow Raider. Peek-A-Boo. Trickster Jr. Top. Mirror Master. And, most of all, their leader, Captain Cold.”

One by one, each of the real Rogues appeared in front of the stage, grinning proudly. Barry wrapped Lisa’s arm around his and drew her to the stage. She grabbed Len’s arm with her free hand and pulled him along, Mick bringing up the rear. Once they were with the other Rogues, Barry stepped off to the side.

The mayor smiled at the group. “Ladies, Gentlemen and the youth of Central City, welcome to our first annual Rogue’s Day Celebration!”

A third round of fireworks went off and a loud cheer went up from the crowd. Soon the Rogues were being hugged, asked for pictures or receiving heartfelt praises. It took a few minutes for Len to break free and make his way to where Barry was standing with Iris, Cisco, Felicity and Zari.

“You set this all up,” he accused, hating how shy he was feeling at the moment.

Barry shook his head, his eyes sparkling behind the blue-tinted goggles. “Actually, it was Mayor Taylor’s idea,” Barry told him. “He contacted Captain Singh to get a message to the Flash for a meeting. When I got there, he told me he thought it was time the city said thank you to everyone for stopping the Dominators. He also wanted to thank Team Flash for rehabilitating the Rogues. When I explained it was all you, he decided he needed to do more than just say thanks.”

Len couldn’t stop the soft smile that tugged at his lips. “And your costume?”

Barry smiled softly, ignoring the giggles from Iris and Cisco. “I told you all that I already had my costume picked out. I’m my favorite hero.”

“Saying something like that might give a man ideas, Scarlet,” Len warned hopefully.

Barry gave Len a smirk and a cheeky wink. “I certainly hope it does.” 

Len’s jaw dropped at the blatant invitation. Before he could decide what to do a couple of reporters hurried over, hoping for an interview. Len watched Barry slip away, pausing long enough to cast a heated look over his shoulder at Len before disappearing into the crowd. 

Soon, Len promised himself. Just as soon as he could, he was going to get Scarlet alone. Then he’d show the speedster that he wasn’t completely reformed. There was still plenty of bad left in him.

**Author's Note:**

> This story came about simply because of an argument over whether or not Sara would use the word 'sheeple'. Seriously.


End file.
